African Journals Online
Ecquid Novi

Volume 22, Issue 2, 2001
ABSTRACTS

Does the Internet create democracy?

Thornton, Alinta L.

Abstract: Intense interest abounds regarding the Internet's potential to contribute to, or assume primary responsibility for, a new era of participatory democracy and revitalisation of the public sphere. Metaphors of the American frontier inform much of the debate and policy making surrounding these ideas. As its use gradually expands into middle-income groups, lower-income groups and non-English speakers, the Internet could encourage participatory democracy in a revitalised public sphere, but only if governments are cooperative - a fairly unlikely prospect. This article reviews certain promising aspects of the Internet, as a site for a revitalised public sphere, including interactive capabilities and capacity to promulgate expanded ranges of views.

Daar heers geweldige belangstelling in die Internet se potensiaal om by te dra (of primêr verantwoordelik te wees) vir 'n nuwe era van deelnemende demokrasie en herlewing van die openbare sfeer. Meeste van die debat en beleidmaking rondom hierdie idees word aangevoer deur die hertoepassing van idealistiese denke oor die toepassing van tegnologie. Namate Internet-gebruik uitbrei na middel- en laer inkomstegroepe en nie-Engelssprekende gebruikers, kan dit deelnemende demokrasie binne 'n vernuwende openbare sfeer aanmoedig. Die kwalifikasie is egter dat regerings moet saamwerk - iets wat nie baie waarskynlik is nie.

An experimental investigation of news credibility: newspapers and the Internet

Payne, Gregg A.; Dozier, David; Nomai, Afsheen; Yagada, Aileen

Abstract: This study used an experiment to examine differences in credibility assigned to news read in paper form and the same news read on a web site. Subsequent to exposure to six identical news stories, randomly assigned newspaper treatment and Internet treatment groups rated the credibility of the stories they read, using standard credibility measures. Generally, news stories appearing on a web site were evaluated as less credible than their identical counterparts on paper.

In hierdie studie is 'n eksperiment gebruik om verskille te identifiseer in geloofwaardigheid wat aan nuus geheg word - eerstens in gedrukte media en tweedens op die Internet. Na blootstelling aan ses identiese stories (koerant en Internet), het groepe stories se geloofwaardigheid aangedui. Standaard meetinstrumente is gebruik. Oor die algemeen is stories op die Internet minder geloofwaardig bestempel as identies dieselfde stories in koerantvorm.

A white world of the information economy: a content analysis of dot-com magazine advertising

Kanayama, Tomoko

Abstract: This study examines the representation of people in dot-com magazine advertising. A content analysis of 671 dot-com advertisements in seven mass circulation magazines (1997-2000) shows that minorities are considerably underrepresented. It also found that the digital divide was far larger in dot-com advertisements that in the actual US economy. The results imply that the marketing strategy of dot-coms is reinforcing a popular view of who is an information economy user, worker, and customer. It also suggests that there are some reasons for under-representation of certain types of people in dot-com advertisements, e.g. market strategy, Internet access, and purchasing power verified by an electronic identification.

Hierdie studie ondersoek die verteenwoordiging van mense in dot-com tydskrifadvertensies. 'n Inhoudsanalise van 671 dot-com advertensies in sewe tydskrifte met massasirkulasie (1997-2000) dui aan dat minderhede aansienlik onderverteenwoordig is. Daar is ook bevind dat die digitale skeiding veel groter was in dot-com advertensies as in die werklike Amerikaanse ekonomie. Die resultate impliseer dat die bemarkingstrategie van dot-coms die algemene siening bevestig van wie 'n inligtingsgebruiker, werker en klant is. Dit impliseer ook redes vir onderverteenwoordiging van sekere tipes mense, naamlik bemarkingstrategie, Internet toegang, en koopkrag.

Political posters on the road to democracy: a case study of two election campaigns in the North West Province

Fourie, Lynnette M.; Froneman, Johannes D.

Abstract: Most definitions of democracy seem to refer to the same core values, namely representation, political participation, political competition, elections, political freedom and rights. For a democracy to be sustainable, these values must be accepted as part of daily life. Likewise, communication during an election campaign plays an important part in democratisation. The assumption is made that although the main function of political posters is not to convey detailed information, they have historically played an important role in protest. If posters could be used to mobilise citizens to protest, they could also be used to convey democratic ideals.

Die meeste definisies van demokrasie identifiseer bepaalde kernwaardes vir 'n demokrasie, naamlik: politieke verteenwoordiging, politieke deelname, kompetisie, verkiesings, politieke vryhede en politieke regte. Vir demokrasie om te oorleef, is dit nodig dat hierdie kernwaardes deel van die kieser se daaglikse lewe word. So het kommunikasie tydens 'n verkiesing 'n belangrike rol in die demokratiseringsproses te speel. Hoewel die primêre funksie van politieke plakkate nie is om gedetailleerde inligting weer te gee nie, het dit histories 'n belangrike rol in protes vertolk. Indien dit gebruik word om mense te mobiliseer om te protesteer, kan dit ook gebruik word om demokratiese ideale uit te dra.

Television news and the public interest

Venter, Linda

Abstract: Although entertainment is probably the most popular genre on television, news programmes are of particular significance in South Africa because of the social changes and racial conflict in the country. The main theory explored in the article is rooted in the assumption that news is a subjective, specific construction of reality, a product of the cultural context in which it operates and not really a mirror of reality. With regard to the contents of television news, the question of the national interest versus the public interest is also addressed. Results of in-depth interviews conducted with opinion leaders in the news area in South Africa on their views with regard to the role (and the fulfilment of this role) of television news in nation building and the social transformation process in the country are analysed and discussed.

Alhoewel vermaak waarskynlik die gewildste genre op televisie is, is nuusprogramme veral van belang in Suid-Afrika in die lig van die sosiale veranderinge en rasse-konflik in die land. Die hoofteorie wat in die artikel ondersoek word, is gegrond op die aanname dat nuus 'n subjektiewe spesifieke konstruksie van die werklikheid is, 'n produk van die kulturele konteks waar binne dit funksioneer, en nie werklik 'n weerspieëling van die realiteit is nie. Met betrekking tot die inhoud van televisienuus, word die kwessie van die nasionale belang versus die openbare belang ook aangespreek. Resultate van in-diepte onderhoude wat met opinieleiers in die nuusveld in Suid-Afrika gevoer is oor hulle beskouings ten opsigte van die rol (en die vervulling van hierdie rol) van televisienuus in nasiebou en die sosiale transformasieproses in die land, word geanaliseer en bespreek.

Trusting the messenger: public and elite confidence in the SA print media

Hofmeyr, Jan

Abstract: Debate on the role and place of the media within a democratic South Africa has up to now, almost exclusively, been conducted at an elite level. Whereas the main arguments are public knowledge, little research has been done to ascertain whether these opinions coincide with that of the broader South African public. The single most pervasive issue in this debate has been the diversification of the media industry and the content of its products. This article employs the findings of an elite and public survey, both completed in 2001, to highlight significant differences between opinion-leaders and public opinion on the bona fide's of this industry, and its ability to produce a representative product.

Die debat oor die rol en plek van die media binne 'n demokratiese Suid-Afrika is tot op hede uitsluitlik op elite-vlak gevoer. Die hoofargumente is welbekend, maar min navorsing is al gedoen om vas te stel of die breë Suid-Afrikaanse publiek hierdie bekende standpunte deel. Die mees deurlopende onderwerp in dié debat, is die kwessie oor die diversifisering van die media-industrie en die inhoud van sy produkte. Dié artikel gebruik resultate van 'n elite- en publieke meningspeiling, wat in 2001 voltooi is, om aan te dui dat daar belangrike meningsverskille tussen meningsvormers en die breë publiek bestaan oor die bona fide's van die media-industrie, en sy vermoë om 'n verteenwoordigende produk te skep.